Friday, October 30, 2015

Ghost stories—what better
inspiration for character names can there be? But this post is a little
different; some of the characters are based off real history or myth, and some
names are based off Latin. Follow this tour to learn the background for the
character names of the Born from Death
series.

Atomis

According to a small sect of
the Church, this was another name for Simon Magus the Magician. But was he just
a magician? Was he just a human? And what does he have to do with Ilona,
Archer, and Lettie?

The
meaning of the name:

From the Latin atomus, meaning
indivisible.

Marquis Laraje

He appears suddenly in the
second book. He’s beautiful and blond and powerful, and it’s clear pretty
quickly that he’s not on the side of good. He’s part of Archer’s past that’s
coming back to tear him to shreds. But will he succeed?

The history of the name:

“In demonology, Leraje is a mighty Great Marquis of Hell who
has thirty legions of demons under his power. He causes great battles and
disputes, and makes gangrene wounds caused by arrows. Some authors say this
demon belongs to the zodiacal sign of Sagittarius. He is depicted as a gallant
and handsome archer clad in green, carrying a bow and quiver.” www.freebase.com pic from http://www.mens-hairstyle.com

Lettie

Lettie is short for Letum. Ilona, Lettie’s only
friend, gave her the nickname, the first real name Lettie’s ever had of her
own. A name, not a description.

The translation of Letum:

In Latin, Letum means
Death, ruin, annihilation. All three English words aptly name Lettie, whether
she likes it or not.

Awaken
from Death

Book 2
of the Born from Death series

The only emotion Ilona
can muster is anger for the death of her mother. Barely engaged in life, she
focuses all of her energy on finding and punishing her mother’s killer.

Since Ilona can see
ghosts, Archer has to find unique ways to hide while watching over her. When
Ilona is in danger of being mauled by a dog, he desperately tries something
that shouldn’t be possible. And yet he succeeds. This is just the beginning of
his discovery of who—what—he truly is.

Lettie continues to
interact with Ilona, her one friend, even when a Messenger warns her.
Eventually, Lettie remembers the ancient connection Archer and Ilona share, as
well as her part in the punishment Archer bore as a result of that connection.

Ilona runs from her sheltering mother in order to find the
truth, why she’s seeing people who are invisible to everyone else. A mysterious
boy named Archer guides her through Brooklyn and introduces her to Hendrick,
the man who claims to be her father—though he died in 1890. Ilona must discover
not only what she must do to rid the city of Soll, a sadistic and powerful
spirit, but also what it means to be half ghost. She proves what her mother
told her—love is stronger than death.

M.S. Kaye has several published books
under her black belt. A transplant from Ohio, she resides with her husband
Corey in Jacksonville, Florida, where she tries not to melt in the sun. Find
suspense and the unusual at www.BooksByMSK.com.

The
blond boy didn’t walk up to a urinal or into one of the stalls, or even up to
the mirror. He stood in the middle of the room.

Invisible,
Lettie watched curiously.

Something
moved backward away from him. Out of him.

She
recognized Archer’s shiny black hair and strong frame even before she could see
his face.

She
gasped. But ghosts can’t inhabit people.

The
blond boy shook his head and looked around. “Fuck.”

“I’m
sorry,” Archer murmured so the boy wouldn’t hear.

Lettie
stared at both of them.

The
blond boy turned, leaned his hands on the counter, and looked at himself in the
mirror…not the way people usually looked at themselves. It was more like he was
trying to see something more than was in the reflection.

Archer
watched him, as if waiting for him to see something.

Then
Lettie understood. Archer hadn’t merely inhabited the boy—he’d possessed him.
But there were only a couple ways that’d be possible—if he were half ghost, or
if he…

A
memory struck Lettie like a horse galloping across a battlefield. An ancient
memory. Lettie had been around since the beginning of time on Earth, but most
of those thousands of years she let slink around the crevices of her mind. It
was mostly just walking the bridge with the newly deceased. There were a few
memories, though, that burned into her every time she let herself pull them
forward. And burned was precisely the right word.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Arthur the High King of Breatein has fallen captive of a longtime enemy, the Saxon warrior-princess Camilla, who lusts to avenge the death of her betrothed at Gyan’s hands and will stop at nothing, even the black arts, to achieve her goal. Because Gyan and Arthur have grown estranged, she fears that Arthur may side with Camilla and make her his new queen.

To meet Camilla’s challenge, Gyan must face all her demons—public as well as private.

The guard drew a long breath. “Your Majesty, it is time.”
Time to face all my demons, private as well as public.
At her nod, he returned to his post outside—a mite reluctantly, she observed.
“Any last advice?” she asked Merlin at the tent’s entrance. She barked a mirthless laugh. “How
“You must not forget your shield.”
She felt her eyebrows rise. “You know I am no novice warrior.”
“I am not talking of wood and metal, Your Majesty.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kim Headlee lives on a farm in southwestern Virginia with her family, cats, goats, Great
Pyrenees goat guards, and assorted wildlife. People and creatures come and go, but the cave
and the 250-year-old house ruins—the latter having been occupied as recently as the mid-
twentieth century—seem to be sticking around for a while yet.

Kim is a Seattle native and a direct descendent of twentieth-century Russian nobility. Her
grandmother was a childhood friend of the doomed Grand Duchess Anastasia, and the romantic
yet tragic story of how Babushka escaped Communist Russia with the aid of her American
husband will most certainly one day fuel one of Kim’s novels. Another novel in the queue will
involve her husband’s ancestor, the seventh-century proto-Viking king of the Swedish colony in
For the time being, however, Kim has plenty of work to do in creating her projected 8-book
Arthurian series, The Dragon’s Dove Chronicles, and other novels clamoring for attention. She
has been a published novelist since 1999, beginning with the original editions of Dawnflight
(Sonnet Books, Simon & Schuster) and Liberty (writing as Kimberly Iverson, HQN Books,

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
Kim will be awarding an autographed print copy of DAWNFLIGHT to a randomly drawn
winner (US Only) via rafflecopter during the tour, and a set of autographed note cards
from The Dragon's Dove Chronicles to a randomly drawn (International) host.

Friday, October 23, 2015

Banished Hero - 1

Blurb:

With no memory of her past, Faye Lynn Berton clings to a father who curses her ability to shape-shift, then uses her special skill to scam local villagers. The only freedom she knows comes as she soars through the sky in falcon form. A chance meeting with another changling turns her world upside down. Beyond satisfying the powerful sexual cravings that follow transformation, he reveals a surprising dimension of sex between their kind…one to unlock the secrets of her soul.

Havyn Westmore has questions…Faye Lynn holds the answers. Determined to unravel her secrets, he must strives to gain her freedom and trust. Teaching her the finer techniques of transformation keeps her close while sex strengthens their bond. But on the trail of discovery, Havyn must confront his own past. Accused of a heinous crime, he was banned from his homeland. Now, he must choose between returning to face certain execution—or robbing Faye Lynn of her birthright and a life in Paradise.

The fragrance of sweet herbs and rich male skin teased Faye Lynn’s senses. She opened her eyes, amazed and confused for a moment as to her location.

In a bed?

Yes.

But not like any bed—or room for that matter—she’d ever been in before. Both were huge. Her gaze followed the gray stone walls to a beast-sized fireplace that lit the whole area with a soft, misty glow.

A thick arm draped across her chest, preventing her from rising. She slipped her shoulder out from under the weight, and a large hand skimmed over her stomach to her thigh. Her gaze fell on the man sleeping beside her. His eyes were closed. Thick lashes brushed his high cheekbones.

Her hands itched to stroke the dark hair from his brow and trace the beard covering his jaw. She remembered the incredible sensation of his rough chin against her delicate skin. Heat flooded her face.

What compelled her to make love to such a man?

When she’d first seen him by the lake, he looked wild, capable of tearing her apart if she defied his orders. Now in sleep, he appeared to be a harmless giant with no intention of hurting anyone.

Her gaze feasted on his broad chest covered with an inky black fur. Of their own accord, her hands tugged on the blanket to reveal the line of hair running over his stomach. A horde of locks circled his groin and dotted the length of his thick thighs.

Faye Lynn noticed the pouch nestled between his legs. Round and full, like a bag of stones, they evoked fascinating ideas. She imagined herself as a man, the weight of the balls rocking against her legs when she walked or ran.

No wondered a man was easily excited. The built-in equipment could be aroused with the slightest movement.

She longed to play with his testicles, hold them in her hand and judge their weight.

Tempted, she surveyed his face. His eyes were still closed so she edged closer. Her hand slipped between his legs. A tentative finger poked his sack, rolling the small round ball inside against his thigh.

He sighed.

She jerked away, but his hand on her leg flew so quickly, he caught her wrist before she could react.

“What are you doing?” His dark gaze nailed her.

“Nothing, I, uh...” She glanced at the fireplace glowing with red embers, then from the tall oak door to the stone walls and finally the large window. The world through the glass appeared dark and empty. Her mind mirrored the scene outside, and she struggled for something to say. Heat radiated over her face.

Banished Scoundrel - 2

Second book in the shapeshifter series

Blurb:

Known scoundrel Jack Avery must earn the queen's forgiveness by rescuing her missing daughter from the human world. His sources reveal the Princess Noelani is being held by a powerful man who likes a good game of chance. So with twenty borrowed pieces of gold Jack enters the high-stakes game. Only the lady he encounters is no princess. This pretty Kitty makes him want to hear her purr.

Under a memory spell, Kitty recalls nothing before the governor bought her from her parents and offered her protection from those he claims would kill her kind. So what if, in order to control her, he forces Kitty to morph then deprives her of sexual release after transformation. But the crafty card player she is assigned to “entertain” reveals himself as a kindred spirit—a shape shifter—and unravels the lie she’s been forced to live.

Together Jack and Kitty risk it all, for the stakes are high and the prize is worth it...freedom, forgiveness, love.

Banished Witch - 3

Last book in the shapeshifter series

Blurb:

Once a princess of Ardenia, Danella, left her homeland to warn her childhood sweetheart only to be kidnapped and sold into slavery. Learning the dark magic from her keeper, she grew to accept her role as a witch to protect her family and track down the traitor to the crown. But when Omar Mandel, the love from her past, arrives to bring her home, she realizes she can never go home. That doesn't mean she can't use his assistance in her plan for revenge and, in the meantime, live out a few unfulfilled fantasies.

The queen wants her daughter to come home and Omar’s job is to see that it happens. However, Danella isn’t the same sweet girl he remembers. In her place is a sexy woman who excites his lust and claims his heart. He must teach her to trust in his love and face the sins of the past if they are to have a future together.

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Have you ever wished you could read someone else's mind? It
might come in handy when your significant other is clearly peeved but won't
share why, or when you've just met your blind date and wonder what that person
thinks of you. For most of us, this wish is just that—a wish, destined to never
come true. But in paranormal romance, such wishes can and do become reality.

So what happens when a woman can read her lover's mind? In
the world of my Psychic Crossroads series, she would turn into a
frothing-at-the-mouth lunatic. Don't try that at home! But the heroine of the
first two books, Grace, still has an advantage most women don't. She and her
true love, David, share a bond deeper than love or passion. She can feel him,
no matter how far away he travels. She can track him down and, without leaving
home, appear wherever he is to check on him. This powerful link drives their
relationship forward even as it pushes them apart, but the connection goes both
ways—and though it can bring great pleasure, it also exposes each to the
other's emotional and physical agony.

Maybe it's best we can't read each other's minds, or even
sense each other in the way Grace and David do. Variety is not the spice of
life. Mystery is. Grace can't predict David's reactions, despite their psychic
bond, which leads to plenty of surprising, steamy moments. If we could tap into
each other's minds, things would get awfully boring. Not knowing makes real
life interesting—almost has interesting as a paranormal romance.

-----------------------

Anna Durand is an award-winning writer, a freelance
librarian, and an audiobook addict. She specializes in sexy romances, both
paranormal and contemporary, featuring spunky heroines and hunky heroes. As a
member of Romance Writers of America, she volunteers for two of its chapters—as
membership chair for Hearts Through History and social media chair for Outreach
International. In her previous life as a librarian, she haunted the stacks of
public libraries but never met any hot vampires hunting for magical books.

Torn apart by their haunted pasts, Grace Powell and her
fiancé David Ransom are struggling to reclaim their passionate bond and build a
normal life — one without danger and paranormal powers. But David can't
renounce his obsession with hunting down Karl Tesler, who abducts and tortures
psychics. David endured Tesler's tactics himself, but despite what Grace
believes, he's not out for revenge.

Tesler covets her unprecedented abilities and her mysterious
connection to a source of limitless psychic power. David will do anything —
even abandon and lie to her — to protect Grace from Tesler.

With a psychic stalker on her trail, Grace charges into a
desperate mission to uncover the truth about David's obsession. But Tesler's
agents are closing in on her, and a terrifying new enemy is rising…

As events drive Grace and David toward a battle of epic
proportions, they must risk everything — their relationship, their lives, and
even their souls — to defeat an enemy who wields unspeakable psychic power.

"Anna Durand has created a new approach to psychic
abilities and it is refreshing and intriguing all wrapped up in a twisting and
turning plot that keeps a reader on the edge of their seat. Intuition is a page-turner and up-late
reader!"—InD'Tale Magazine

"I loved seeing how David's and Grace's relationship
continues to change during the book. If there is a book three I would pick it
up in a heartbeat."—Fanatical Paranormal Romantical

Grace rolled onto her side. Her nose bumped into David's
pillow. She drew in a long breath. The spiciness of his aftershave flooded her
senses, along with another scent—a subtle, masculine smell unique to David.
Indescribable. Delicious. Warmth suffused her, seeping into her heart and mind,
smoldering in parts of her that ached for him. She inhaled another draft of his
scent, her body responding as if he were there, caressing her. He may drive her
nuts at times, but…

Oh, the way he kissed. Her lips tingled from the memory of
it.

A chill whispered over her skin. Every hair on her body
stiffened. Her sixth sense burst out of its slumber, clanging alarm bells in
her psyche. Someone is here.

She bolted upright and whipped her head left and right.
Nobody there. She swung her legs off the bed and pushed up onto her feet,
nabbing her .357 Magnum revolver from the bedside table. A chill trickled down
her spine. Eyes watched. Invisible, ethereal, but real. She turned toward the
doorway. Nothing lurked there.

Why couldn't she pin down the source of the sensation? Her
paranormal radar was blanked out, as if overwhelmed byinput.

Psychic energy crackled through her. Behind you. She whirled around, thrusting the gun up, clamped in
both hands, and confronted—

David. She
snatched up the phone, tapping the screen until the message popped up. As she
scanned the words, a shiver rattled through her.

"Come to me," it said, "I can help you. 1325
Meroz Road."

She didn't recognize the phone number the message came from,
and no name was given. Oh sure, she'd rush right out to the address texted to
her by an anonymous whackjob.

The phone buzzed again. Another text message: "Your lip
is bleeding."

Her lip? She dabbed a finger on her mouth. It came away wet.
Blood stained her skin. How did the texter know she bit her lip? Her heart
pounded. Without moving, she searched the shadows for a figure, a camera,
something to explain this, though she knew she'd find nothing. A thick curtain
shielded the window. The person sending the messages could either see through
solid objects or had another means of viewing her. Extrasensory means.

The phone tumbled from her hand, clattering on the floor.

No, she was jumping to conclusions. An intruder must've
stolen into the house. With the revolver in hand, she sprinted out of the
bedroom, down the hallway, through the kitchen, and into the living room.
Vacant. All vacant. She rushed back to the bedroom and dug through the closet,
scoured the dresser, even dropped onto her belly to investigate the space under
the bed. No cameras. No stealthy intruders. Not a damn thing. Which left her
with one unthinkable possibility.

Maybe she should call the police.

What for? They couldn't help her with this kind of problem.

"You belong with me."

She jumped. Her head smacked into the bed frame. She
clutched the gun tighter. Where had the voice come from?

No, no, no, not again.
Nausea swelled in her stomach, bile rising high in her throat. The voice did
not originate in this room, or from outside. The source was much, much closer.
Someone rammed the words into her mind.

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

After nearly a million words written, it's time to conclude the Dream Series. Over nine books, we've followed Sara from a shy college student to a wife, mother and chief-of-staff at her hospital. And we've seen her wrestle with her supernatural gift - the ability to step into other people's dreams.
Sara's faced almost every kind of challenge, but in book ten of the Dream Series, DREAM WEDDING, she's up against something every parent has to cope with: watching her children become adults and hoping she's prepared them for everything the world can throw at them.

It ought to be a joyful time for Dr. Sara Alderson. Her daughter, Lizzie, is about to graduate college, and marry her longtime boyfriend. But the family’s happiness is shattered when a drunk driver seriously injures her teenage son in a hit-and-run accident.
Now, instead of planning her daughter’s wedding, Sara must fight to save her son’s life. And when she discovers who the drunk driver was – someone she thought was a colleague and a friend – she has to fight her desire for revenge. Because Sara knows she has the power to visit the driver’s dreams, and in those dreams, she holds the power of life and death.
Dream Wedding is the tenth and final book of the Dream Series

The novels don’t tell the whole story!
Readers of the Dream Series know that Sara and her family have a very busy life outside the pages of the ten Dream Series books, and here’s your chance to peek into it.
Twelve stories are included in this collection, and you’ll discover what happened on Sara’s final Spring Break of college; Lizzie’s first day of school; Betty and Howard’s first trip out of the country; and much more!

Even if you have never had the disease, you probably know someone who has had it or who has lost a loved one to it. My aunt had it and died back in the early seventies. I remember because my father would not say anything other than she died of cancer. The sad thing was he didn't even learn she was sick until he heard of her death.

This past July I was diagnosed with an early stage of a rare form of ovarian cancer, specifically- a granulosa cell tumor. To say the news was shocking is an understatement. We received it during a post-op visit where had anticipated hearing great results about a surgery and anticipated a routine recovery. We did not plan to hear, "We think you should have the other ovary removed and have chemo."

I've always loved the Statue of Liberty because she stands so powerfully erect even though she's profoundly alone. She holds the lamp for others to see and guides them to a life of possibility. She does all of that from a tiny island surrounded by rip tide currents and she does it on her own. That was the woman I thought I should be.

The diagnosis of breast cancer came out the blue. No family history, no warning. I was too young. But the moment I felt the lump during a shower, I knew what it was. The news went downhill from there. Seventy-five percent of the nearest lymph nodes were involved. Prognosis guarded. Three months of chemo later, they found spots in my lungs. It appeared the cancer had already spread, and I was reeling when I heard the words...four months.

Most people know I refer to my husband as Handsome. What some don't know is eight years ago, he was diagnosed with throat cancer.

He had a swollen lymph node that all doctors thought was allergy or infection-related. The drugs and antibiotics prescribed didn't knock it out. He had a needle biopsy which came back clean. His ENT doctor said she wanted to remove the lymph and when doing so, found the cancer in three spots.

Undefined and vulnerable, I often felt as if I were crashing backward through space, and found myself slipping into a post-operative depression after my bi-lateral mastectomy on August 2, 2001. In order to keep what remained of my sanity, I returned to work too soon, but misjudged the level of my stamina, as well as the fact that much of one's life is uncontrollable.

Tagline: Facing the possibility of having breast cancer, Marianne must decide if she wants to give love another chance and build a future with whatever time she may have left.

Blurb:

After surviving the grief from her husband’s death, Marianne Clark has built a new life with the help of the other Executive Wives. She plans to enjoy grandchildren and friends until her doctor tells her he found a lump in her breast. Her world turned upside down. She re-evaluates her priorities and decides she grab hold of life with both hands.

Knox Turner lost is first wife to cancer. He’s determined not to let Marianne face this challenge alone.

Can this couple face the trails ahead and build a future together?

Excerpt:

She’d departed her doctor’s office in a blind
stupor, reviewing every possible solution. Once she reached her car, she sat there
for a few moments, her mind naturally turning to how to tell her family. Then,
she recalled her decision to spend tonight with Knox and to go away with him
for the weekend.

Pain sliced through her.

What should she say to him? Especially after the
pain, he’d endured from losing Betty, his first wife to...

Sunday, October 11, 2015

After surviving the grief from her husband’s
death, Marianne Clark has built a new life with the help of the other Executive
Wives. She plans to enjoy grandchildren and friends until her doctor tells her
he found a lump in her breast. Her world turned upside down. She re-evaluates
her priorities and decides she grab hold of life with both hands.

Knox Turner lost is first wife to cancer.
He’s determined not to let Marianne face this challenge alone.

Can this couple face the trials ahead and
build a future together?

Excerpt:

She spun in the circle of his arms, her hands
landing on the lapel of his suit jacket. “Knox, you should have called before—”

He didn’t care about would’ve, should’ve,
could’ves. He required considerably more than any of those words could
describe. Instead, he dove for her mouth, covering hers with his and sampled
the sweet flavor of her lips. Impatient for more, he plummeted deeper,
thrusting his tongue inside to experience the moist heat. Strung out with
thoughts of her for most of the night, he ached for a closer connection.

With a deep moan from her, he shifted, giving
her enough room to slide her arms around his neck. He clasped his hands upon
her ass and drew her up onto her toes. The apex of her legs rested against his
inflamed erection.

A gasp erupted from her lips. She turned her
head and broke away from his kiss. “God, Knox, I’m not thinking clearly this
morning. I’ve had little to no sleep, and I’m still buzzed from the drinks last
night. Then you show up...”

He loved how she thought he might be willing
to debate the point and back off, thereby giving her space to catch her breath
and build up her defense. Not the case, he’d realized the moment he’d caught a
glimpse of her by the front door in her fuzzy, pink robe the battle was finished
before it even began. She belonged to him, had for months now, her surrender inevitability
from the start. He wanted her. She wanted him.

Nipping at the side of her neck, he
whispered, “Honey, how much longer are you planning on making me wait?”

She shrugged and shifted her head to avoid
his kisses. “I decided last night to take you up on your offer to go away for
the weekend. That is, if you still intend to go?”

Raising his gaze, he met hers and lifted an
inquiring brow, uncertain if he’d heard her correctly. “This weekend, as in two
days from now?”